Published on 28 Jul 2015 | over 2 years ago

As Harry Potter begins his sixth year at Hogwarts, he discovers an old book marked as "the property of the Half-Blood Prince" and begins to learn more about Lord Voldemort's dark past. Based off the film starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint.

Scarred by his experience at the Ministry of Magic with Voldemort, Harry is reluctant to return to Hogwarts. Dumbledore encourages him to continue, after transporting him to see a former professor, Horace Slughorn, hoping that Slughorn would return to Hogwarts and take Harry under his wing.

At Hogwarts, the school is under tight security to prevent the Death Eaters from entering the school. With Slughorn back to teach Potions, Snape is given Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry and Ron are encouraged by Professor McGonagall to take up Potions now that Slughorn, with lower standards, is teaching the class; however, as neither was expecting to take the course, they have to find textbooks for themselves in the bookcase. Harry's book is annotated with more exact instructions to complete potions, giving him an edge over the other students; he finds that it once belonged to the "Half-Blood Prince", a term Hermione cannot figure out. Meanwhile, Ron becomes the successful Gryffindor's Quidditch goalie, attracting the love of Lavender Brown, much to Hermione's chagrin. Harry is also upset over Ginny's attraction to Dean Thomas. During the Christmas Break while Harry and Ron are at the Burrow, the Death Eaters with Bellatrix in charge come intending to kidnap Harry, but are forced to retreat after they are outnumbered by Order of the Phoenix members. Before they leave they set fire to the Burrow, and the Weasleys are gathered outside the house, leaving Harry regretting the evil that he has brought down upon people he cares about.

Dumbledore reveals to Harry through the Pensieve memories of Tom Riddle (Voldemort's original name), including a false memory from Slughorn, when Riddle asked him about a certain restricted Dark Art. The memory fails to reveal this art, and Dumbledore believes that the key to defeating Voldemort is to learn what Dark Art Riddle asked about, and instructs Harry to further confide himself to Slughorn. Using a Luck potion he won earlier in the school year, Harry is able to bring Slughorn to be intoxicated with Hagrid and convinces the professor in his stupor to give him the true memory. This memory reveals that Riddle inquired about the creation of Horcruxes, devices that store a portion of the creator's soul to allow them to live indefinitely. Dumbledore reveals that Riddle's diary and his mother's ring were two of seven Horcruxes that Riddle had created, and that they must track these down and destroy them to make Voldemort mortal.

Dumbledore implores Harry to help him recover another Horcrux, the location of which he recently learned. The two transport themselves to a seaside cliff, and enter a cave where the Horcrux is located. On a small crystalline island, Dumbledore forces Harry to make him drink a mind-altering liquid in order to reveal the Horcrux. While Dumbledore recovers from the liquid, Harry recovers the Horcrux, a small pendant. Harry tries to help Dumbledore recover, but they are attacked by numerous inferi. Dumbledore recovers in time to set them aflame, and the two return to the Astronomy Tower at Hogwarts.

Dumbledore, still weakened by the trial, instructs Harry to go to get Snape. However, before Harry can go, footsteps are heard, and Dumbledore tells Harry to hide on the lower floor. The footsteps belong to Draco, who prepares to kill Dumbledore, but cannot bring himself to do so. Meanwhile, with the Vanishing Cabinet fixed, Bellatrix and other Death Eaters are able to invade Hogwarts through a similar cabinet at Borgin and Burkes, and join Draco in the tower. Snape silently arrives on the lower floor, indicating to Harry to stay quiet, and then goes upstairs, joining the other Death Eaters. Snape then casts the killing spell Avada Kedavra on Dumbledore, throwing him over the side of the Tower and killing him. Snape, Draco, and the other Death Eaters depart the school, Bellatrix casting the Death Eaters' sign over the school, destroying the Great Hall and setting fire to Hagrid's hut in glee. Harry tries to stop them with the Sectumsempra spell, but Snape deflects it and stuns him. As he departs, he explains to Harry that he is the Half-Blood Prince and the creator of the spell.

Harry reveals to Ron and Hermione that the Horcrux they got was a fake, containing a message from an "R.A.B." that stated he had already taken it, but is also seeking to end Voldemort's life. Harry tells his friends that he does not plan to return next year, instead seeking out R.A.B. and the other Horcruxes so that he may put an end to Voldemort; Ron and Hermione remind Harry that they are his friends and will help alongside him in his goal.